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Favorite Nordic Cupboard Cookery Recipes

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:04:12 +0000

One of my foremost resolutions for 2012 is to try to adhere much more closely to my favorite piece of wisdom, articulated by Swedish cookbook author Kajsa Warg in 1755, "Man tager hvað man hafver": cook with what you have on hand. Not only will this save me a few pennies, but hopefully it will force me to reduce the temptation to pick up unhealthy processed meals when I "think" I'm too busy to cook from scratch. I foresee much homemade bread in our future! In the spirit of the Swedish adage "You take what you have," here is a list of 10 "Cupboard Cookery" recipes - everything from soups to stews to casseroles like Sweden's whimsically named "Flying Jacob" - that most people should be able to whip up from ingredients lurking in their cupboards.

Scandinavian Cupboard Cookery image & copy; 1/31/2012 Kari Diehl, licensed to About.com.

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More (Alternative) Thorrablot Recipes

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:01:25 +0000

If you'd like to try eating like a Viking in celebration of Thorrablot this year but can't quite stomach the idea of Hrútspungur (pickled ram's testicles) or Hakarl (putrified shark), a delicious yet still authentic option is Kjötsúpa, Icelandic Lamb Soup. Small amounts of inexpensive cuts of lamb are cooked until they fall off the bone, flavoring a rich broth loaded with bright carrots, rutabagas, and potatoes. Viking food doesn't get any better than this!

More Scandinavian Lamb Recipes:
Grilled Icelandic Lamb Kebobs
Lamb with Wild Mushroom Sauce
Finnish Lamb Stew

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Happy Thorrablot

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:58:45 +0000

On the first Friday after January 19th, the month of Þorri begins, when Icelanders gather to celebrate the Nordic feast of Thorrablot (Þorrablót), enjoying traditional smoked and preserved foods washed ...

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Top 10 2011 Scandinavian Recipes

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:29:13 +0000

Well, the results are in! What do you think the 10 most sought-after Scandinavian recipes were in 2011 here at Scandinavian Food@About.com? Here's a hint ... lutefisk wasn't on the list.

Top 10 2011 Scandi recipes image & copy; 1/31/2012 Kari Diehl, licensed to About.com.

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Danish Mock Hare

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:09:05 +0000

The Danes have a great name for meatloaf - they call it "Mock Hare," Forloren Hare (recipe here). While Bugs Bunny is probably safe, Porky Pig should probably put on his track shoes and start running: Mock Hare is typically made from a combination of ground pork and ground veal (I normally substitute ground chicken or turkey for the veal), then fully encased with a layer of bacon. Serve with buttered carrots to really freak out the kids.

Mock Hare image & copy; 1/31/2012 Kari Diehl, licensed to About.com.

Fast-for-Fika Chocolate Cake

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:56:05 +0000

As those of you who often read my blog here (thanks for that, by the way!) have probably noticed, I've been silent for most of January. The reason? I was finishing the first draft of my first cookbook, The Everything Nordic Cookbook (set for release this August 2012, by Adams Media). I've barely had time to breathe, much less blog - and am still playing "catch up" with my work and family obligations. Still, I'll take the 20 minutes it takes to make this fabulous Fast-for-Fika Chocolate Cake...

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A Can of Salmon and Thou

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:35:31 +0000

It looks like the Swedes have found a wonderful way to follow Kajsa Warg's 1755 cupboard cookery advice, "Take what you have on hand ..." (Man tager hvað man hafver): Internet Foodie Dating. As recently reported by Anna Brones at Ecosalon , the dating website Restdejting, launched last year by the Swedish farmers' cooperative Lantmännen, targets eco-conscious, foodie singles; you go to the website, list the five ingredients you have on hand that you'd like to share with a similarly-minded soul mate (or at least, foodie-mate), and wait to see if anyone who lives in your town snaps at the bait.

Is this brilliant or what? Once my kids are old enough that I decide I'm ready for grandchildren (in about 25 years), I'm going to stock their cupboards with canned salmon, the LOVE fish, hand them my recipes for salmon loaf and salmon patties with horseradish sauce (thus emulating my husband, who wooed me with frozen salmon filets from Trader Joe's), and tell them to go online. Problem solved.

Canned salmon image & copy; 1/31/2012 Kari Diehl, licensed to About.com.

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Puff Pastry Pinwheels

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:57:34 +0000

Although normally thought of as a special Christmas treat in Finland, these puff pastry "pinwheels" (christened "Ninja stars" by my sons) are an easy treat to whip up quickly the next time one of your kids comes home and tells you at about 8:30 p.m. , "Oh yeah ... I gotta bring snack tomorrow." You can fill them either with the traditional prune filling, or use your own favorite jam. Simply keep a box of frozen puff pastry on hand for emergencies and you're good to go!

Puff pastry pinwheel and prune filling image & copy; 1/30/2012 Kari Diehl, licensed to About.com.

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Nordic New Year's Nibbles

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:08:24 +0000

Ring in 2012 with a festive board of Nordic nibbles and sandwiches - perfect "small bites" to accompany champagne or non-alcoholic tipples like Scandinavian Fruit Tea. With recipes that ...

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A New Year's (Gje-) Toast

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:05:27 +0000

Since today is the day for making toasts - and resolutions don't begin until tomorrow - here's a second toast to accompany my earlier blog ( "A Skagen Toast to the New Year"): here's to Gjetost! Norway's hallmark brown cheese, packaged in the U.S. under the "Ski Queen" label, is delicious when sliced thin and placed on toast (or crispbread). Yet it also lends itself beautifully to creating this non-alcoholic gjetost fondue, perfect for dipping meatballs, apple slices, chunks of rye bread, and roasted potatoes.

Nordic Nibbles image & copy; 12/31/2011 Kari Diehl, licensed to About.com.

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